I saw the original theatrical release way back in the day … I would have been five years old, and it’s one of my earliest theatrical memories from Disney (along with a showing of The Jungle Book in the auditorium of our local high school, of all places). I know it left a major impression on me, likely for several reasons.
I was excited for it through the Illusion of Life special that featured some behind-the-scenes footage as more or less a promo; it’s the one hosted by Hayley Mills back when she was still planning to do Eilonwy’s voice in The Black Cauldron. Pearl Bailey sings The Best of Friends on-screen, and we get to see some of Glen Keane’s rough drawings. I may have been a little kid, but I was completely mesmerized!
I grew up in the rural Midwest; not on a farm, but I was definitely familiar with them (my dad was raised on one and my cousins had horses and such). Our house was on the edge of a large field, with woods less than a block away that just begged to be explored. We had a dog (named Lady!), and saw a lot of wild animals in the area. Foxes were a rare sighting, but we occasionally saw them out on the country roads. More often we saw deer, rabbits, raccoons, and especially squirrels close to the house.
I had a comic book adaptation in early grade school, likely printed when the film was first released, which I read so many times that I probably still remember it more clearly than the actual film itself. When the VHS was eventually released, I got the package deal from Walmart that included a Copper plushie. They were really the masters of marketing back then, lol. And wow … I must have been a senior in high school at the time?
I always loved the wistful, somber tone of the overall film; something within me believed there was something honest and realistic about that. I must have been around 10 when I taped a rerun of the Illusion of Life special, when I really fell in love with The Best of Friends. I know a lot of people dismiss the songs from this film (aside from Goodbye May Seem Forever), but I always loved how Big Momma expressed her optimism over the unlikely friendship, also while realizing that perhaps it couldn’t last due to the laws of nature.
Oddly enough, one of my favorite scenes of any Disney film is when Amos realizes where Tweed has dropped off Todd. There’s something dark and subtley foreboding just looming in the atmosphere as he muses with Copper about revenge; you can practically feel the storm brewing with the muted colors and blowing wind.
Maybe it’s strange that I feel this way, but the film really has the perfect ending; not happy, but happy
enough. Sometimes friends go through horrible circumstances, they can grow apart, and they may make up to an extent later in life. In this case, they had to grow apart. But it’s okay! Todd is in the wild where he belongs, likely starting a family with Vixey, and Copper already has his own family that all care for each other in their own way, even if it’s just a curmudgeonly old Grandpa Joe (seriously, lol) and his aging hunting dog.
Of course, Tweed’s song as she sets Todd free is utterly heartbreaking, but also part of life, I suppose. Even if Amos hadn’t threatened Todd, he was wild animal that was never meant to be a pet. Perhaps my perspective on this is from the many times I caught a wild animal back when I was a kid? Often babies that we’d have to let go, including young rabbits cornered by Lady, and birds hopping around the yard, not quite ready to fly. One of the few things I remember about my paternal grandmother was that she told me stories about a baby squirrel she adopted when she was a little girl; as he got older, he’d spend less time in the house and more time in the nearby woods. Eventually, he disappeared back into the wild where he belonged. She was heartbroken, but also knew it was the best thing to happen. My aunt (one of her daughters) told me similar stories about Corky, another squirrel she adopted herself under similar circumstances. And one of my dad’s favorite Disney films was Perri, and I can’t tell you how ecstatic I was that it was included on Disney+ from the very beginning.
Ha! I didn’t meant to write a whole essay here. This film is so near and dear to my heart, reminding me of several facets of my childhood, including many aspects I haven’t even touched on here. Something I’ve come to realize is that we need to enjoy the moment, because life changes in a heartbeat … and while change is often painful, it’s often necessary and is simply a part of life to change paths. And I love that the concept is explored in this film.
It's not unusual to want something as a child and not appreciating it when you finally get it. It's happened to me before. I remember that I was obsessed with the 1993 remake of Homeward Bound as a child and when I finally got it, I didn't gave it enough rewatches 
But that's really logical when you think about it.